William Goldman books in order
American novelist, screenwriter and playwright
- Lived
- 1931–2018
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 29
William Goldman published 18 novels, 1 novella, 3 non-fiction books, 4 plays and 3 other books, beginning with The Princess Bride (1973).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with William Goldman
Start here
The Princess Bride
William Goldman's most-read book, rated by 101 Open Library readers.
Shortest way in
Marathon Man
One of the most-read, at about 266 pages.
Standalone novels in order
The Temple of Gold (1957)
Soldier in the Rain (1960)
Boys and Girls Together (1964)
No Way to Treat a Lady (1964)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1968)
The Season (1969)
Father's Day (1970)
The Princess Bride (1973)
The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure (1973)
Marathon Man (1974)
Magic (Aug 1976)
Tinsel (1979)
Control (1982)
The Color of Light (1984)
Edged Weapons (1985)
Heat (1985)
Brothers (1986)
Wait Till Next Year (1988)
Novellas in order
The Silent Gondoliers (Nov 1983)
Non-fiction in order
Adventures in Screen Writing (1984)
Hype and Glory (1990)
The Big Picture (2000)
Plays in order
Adventures in the Screen Trade (1983)
The Ghost and the Darkness (1995)
William Goldman (1995)
Which Lie Did I Tell? (2000)
Other books in order
Your Turn to Curtsy My Turn to Bow (1960)
All the President's Men (1975)
Boys & Girls Together (1987)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Princess Bride (1987)Film · from The Princess Bride
- Marathon Man (1976)Film · from Marathon Man
- Magic (1978)Film · from Magic
- Heat (1987)Film · from Heat
- Wild Card (2015)Film · from Heat
About William Goldman
William Goldman was an American novelist, screenwriter and playwright who wrote 16 novels and numerous screenplays in a career spanning seven decades. He received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and Best Screenplay from the BAFTAs and Golden Globes for his first original screenplay, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), and he received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for All the President's Men (1976). Both of these films have been inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, along with The Princess Bride (1987) which he adapted from his 1973 novel, and all three were included on the 2006 list by the Writers Guild of America of the 101 Greatest Screenplays. Among his other accolades were three Writers Guild of America Awards, including the 1985 Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement, two Edgar Awards for Best Motion Picture Screenplay, and a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
William Goldman FAQ
- How many books has William Goldman written?
- William Goldman published 18 novels, 1 novella, 3 non-fiction books, 4 plays and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read William Goldman's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Princess Bride.
- What is William Goldman's last book?
- The Big Picture (2000).
- What is William Goldman's most famous book?
- The Princess Bride (1973) is William Goldman's most widely read book.
- Which William Goldman books have been adapted?
- 4 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Princess Bride (film, 1987), Marathon Man (film, 1976), Magic (film, 1978) and Heat (film, 1987).
Authors like William Goldman
Patrick Modiano
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Lucy Maud Montgomery
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Gabriel García Márquez
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Hugh Lofting
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Isaac Asimov
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Selma Lagerlöf
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Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.